[Darris McNeely] The latest hurricane to hit the Gulf Coast of the United States was Hurricane Ida, at the very end of August. Ironically, it came on the anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina, the last big one that hit that same area. And, of course, as it came through New Orleans and Louisiana, more than a million people were without electricity. Fortunately, it seems this time, the dykes, and the canals, and everything held, and the tragedies and the destruction from Katrina years ago was not the same with Ida this time.

But, you know, whenever hurricanes and tornadoes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters hit anywhere in the world, we're drawn to that, the power of the force of nature, and certainly, the human story, and the human tragedy that often accompanies such events. But it does highlight the power of this world and the natural forces that are here, which we cannot control. And when they happen, we take cover, we take whatever precautions, and we should. But we also should also just marvel at the power of nature and sometimes what we can't control, but also, what we might do and lessons that we learn, spiritually and in a relationship with God.

I was reading an article about Ida. The author was quoting another author, Lauren Isley, in observing about the trying night of going through something like a hurricane because Ida hit right at dark in New Orleans, and just warred through the night over that time. But, people who take cover and shelter during that time wait it out, listening to the sounds, and the roar, but they also think. And Lauren Isley wrote this. He said, "At night, one has to sustain reality without help. One has to hear lest hearing be lost, see lest sight not returned to follow moonbeams across the floor and touch, lest the sense of objects vanish. Oh, sleeping, soundlessly sleeping ones, do you ever think who knits your universe together safely from one day's memory to the next?" End of the quote from Mr. Isley.

When you go and live through an event like a hurricane, it should point us to the One who knits one day to the next, God. In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus, after giving basic instruction of Christianity said, "Whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall for it was founded on the rock." A solid foundation. Ultimately, the foundation of God, His Word, and Jesus Christ, His Son. It goes on in verse 26, "But everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew and beat on that house and it fell, and great was its fall."

Wise words from Christ to always remember, to go back to think about. When a hurricane, a tornado, an earthquake, or other natural disaster takes place, we can't control those events, but we can control our reaction to them. It can turn us to God in awe and wonder of the world is and the life that we have.

That's "BT Daily." Join us next time.